Ebonyi Governor, Umahi Pulls Out Of Presidential Race

The Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi has reportedly pulled out of the 2023 presidential race.

The governor, however, declared his intention to contest for the Ebonyi South senatorial seat in the forthcoming general elections, Peoples Gazette reported.

In January, Umahi informed President Muhammadu Buhari of his interest to contest the presidency in the forthcoming general elections.

Umahi claimed President Buhari replied that he should consult widely.

Umahi’s visit to inform the President of his presidential ambition came after the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, paid a similar visit to President Buhari.

However, the factors responsible for Umahi’s change of mind were unclear.

Just recently, the governor and his Deputy, Kelechi Igwe, were embroiled in a legal brawl with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Governor Umahi and his Deputy had in November 2020 left the PDP, the platform on which they sought election and were elected.

In a ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court on March 8, sacked the duo from the Ebonyi governorship seat, after the PDP successfully argued that the votes got in elections belong to political parties and not candidates.

However, the Ebonyi High Court, Abakaliki, quashed the suit which was challenging the defection.

Also, the Court of Appeal Enugu Division in a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice A. O. Belgore, held that Umahi and his deputy have the right to move to any political party they so wish.

The court held that there is nowhere in the constitution which is the supreme law of the land, where a sitting governor is barred from defecting to another political party.